“I am thankful every day that role that came to me was Emily Fields. She's a wonderful character, and I love playing her — but she's also an important character. Things are changing. The world is finally understanding that love between two people, no matter their gender, is just love. And Emily is a part of that. She's a sweet character, a fun character, and she's a character who has found empowerment through embracing the fact that she's a girl who likes girls. I am so proud to play her. It's like the universe worked its magic and brought her to me.” -- Shay Mitchell (Emily)

“I'm so proud of [Emily]. I am so glad that we have a chance to bring this character and her storyline to life. And I know that Shay Mitchell and Nia Peeples, who plays Emily's mom, and even Peter Roth, the head of Warner Brothers television, has taken a personal interest in this storyline. And we're all honored and proud to be able to bring it to life. And hopefully, it helps other people know that they're not alone.” -- Marlene King (Producer/Writer/Director)

“When I took the role of Maya, I was just excited to be on this show. It's such a fun show. And I like Maya. It never occurred to me to think, 'Oh, she's a gay character.' But I am so happy now to be playing her, to be a part of that larger conversation.” -- Bianca Lawson (Maya)

“Playing a lesbian character is obviously relevant right now. There are so many equality issues and issues with gay teens being bullied, and I feel like the media has always been a leader in helping shape people's attitudes. You know, it lends a little understanding. It makes people less fearful. And being given the opportunity to play a lesbian character, I really took it seriously.” -- Lindsey Shaw (Paige)

“The way I see it, your sexual identity shouldn't define who you are. And I didn't even think about it when I read her character. I thought it was exciting and it was new, and I was so happy to put it out there — especially on ABC Family. I thought, you know, maybe teens who are watching this with their families will have an easier time bringing up their own sexuality.” -- Shay Mitchell (Emily)

“I just dove right in because I never look at her like 'she's a lesbian character'. She's a person and this is what she's gone through and these are her characteristics. This is the person that I love; not this is the girl that I love. This is the human being that I love and this is why I love her — I feel connected with her. So that's how I approached it.” -- Bianca Lawson (Maya)

“The writers kept giving me these big, beautiful scenes, like when Paige came out to Emily. And that's when it hit me how special she is. The way I prepared for it was for the fans, I wanted to be true to what that experience is like for people who are actually going through it. More than once, Paige has moved me to tears. I have so much compassion for her, and for her courage. We can say, you know, It Gets Better, and then we can see that it actually has gotten better for Paige.” -- Lindsey Shaw (Paige)

“I'm actually happy to say gay women and gay men love this show. And I hope it is a special experience for gay women, to be able to watch these characters who are beautiful inside and out, relating to each other in such an accepting way. We all want that unconditional love by our friends and our family. And that's what we’re creating here. Hopefully it becomes a role model for other people.” -- Marlene King (Producer/Writer/Director)